Paint applicator and guide



y 1960 H. w. CUSTER 2,936,474

PAINT APPLICATOR AND GUIDE Filed Aug. 6, 1958 l 2 flag '7.

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INVENTOR HARRY W C705 7 19/5 ATTORNEY u te This invention relates to a paint trim device, and has for one of its objects the production of a simple and eflicient paint trim device which will enable anyone with average skill, using the device, to equal the work done by a master painter, while painting the adjoining faces ofwalls and ceiling of a room.

. A further object of this invention is the production of a. simple and efficient paint trim device which will facilitate the painting of a starter ribbon of color at the junction of a ceiling and a wall, and which provides an efficient hand-rest while painting said strip.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the device;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the device;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the painting roller, the supporting shaft being shown partly in elevation;

Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the device, illustrating the manner of supporting the device by the hand of an operator while painting a starting strip;

Figure 6 is a front elevational view illustrating the manner in which the device acts as a hand-rest, while filling in the space between the roller and the corner of an adjacent wall;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 77 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line 8-8 of Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the lower end of the roller supporting shaft.

By referring to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that 10 designates a platform which is preferably elongated and may be made of fabricated plastic, or wood, or any other suitable material. A pair of transversely spaced ceiling engaging rollers 11 and 12 are carried by the upper end of the platform 10 for rolling contact with a ceiling, such as the ceiling C, while the device is in operation. A plurality of wall engaging rollers 13, 14 and are carried by the rear face of the platform 10 for rolling contact with a wall, and to hold the platform 10 in spaced vertical or parallel alignment with a wall, such as the wall W. The rollers 13 and 14 are preferably arranged in transversely aligned relation, and the roller 15 is preferably carried upon the platform below and intermediate the rollers 13 and 14, as is shown in Figure 2.

The platform 10 is provided with a painting roller receiving notch 16 at its upper end, intermediate the rollers 11 and 12, into which notch 16 the inverted conical-shaped painting roller 17 is detachably mounted. A vertical roller supporting shaft 18 is detachably fitted upon the outer face of the platform 10, as shown in paint trim atetit Figure 1. This shaft 18 rests between the spaced lugs 19 and 20 near its upper end adjacent the roller 17, the lugs 19 and 20 being carried by the front. face of the platform 10 and constituting top shaft guides. A pair of laterally spaced lugs 21 and 22 are carried by the platform 1%) below the lugs 19 and 2G for receiving the lower end of the shaft 18. The shaft 18 is held in a vertical position by these lugs 19, 20, 21 and 22 upon the platform 10. The lugs 21 and 22 are notched, as at 23 and 24, respectively, to receive the transverse anchoring pin 25 which is carried by the lower end of the shaft 18. The notches 23 and 24 are preferably inclined inwardly and downwardly to prevent the pin 25 which fits in the notches 23 and 24 from being displaced from the notches while the device is in use.

As is shown in Figure 4, the upper end 26 of the shaft 18 is inclined outwardly at an angle relative to the lower end of the shaft equivalent in reverse to the incline of outer face 2"! of the inverted conical-shaped roller 17. The roller 17 is rotatably mounted upon the upper inclined end 26 of the shaft 18. The roller 17 may be formed of wood, plastic, or other rigid or solid material with its outer face 27 covered with a thin tread or band 28 formed of sponge rubber, soft unfinished leather, or other suitable material, to carry paint with which it is adapted to be charged from time to time when needed from a brush or other means.

The inverted cone-shape formation of the roller 17 together with its mounting on the inclined upper end 26 of the shaft 18, when the shaft 18 is properly mounted on the platform it supports the tread or other band 28 in position for rolling contact with the wall. W from the ceiling C downwardly for the width of the tread of the roller 17. The top face 29 is preferably inset and while the roller 17 is in operation the top face 29 is inclined downwardly away from the ceiling C and outwardly from the wall W, as is shown in Figure 4.. The roller 17 is preferably secured to the upper end 26 of the shaft 18 by fitting between the welded bottom washer 30 and the overhanging lock screw 31 which is threaded into the upper terminal of the shaft 18.

When in operation, the device may be held by the hand of an operator, as shown in Figure 5, with the index finger of the right hand overlying the shaft 18 to hold the shaft against accidental displacement. Pressure is exerted upwardly and inwardly against the platform 10 to hold all the rollers 11 to 15 inclusive in abutting contact with the ceiling and wall, so that all rollers will follow their tracking surfaces properly. A paint brush may be used to charge the paint roller while using. In this way the device need not be moved away from its position and the work need not be interrupted.

Figure 6 illustrates the manner in which a corner is reached since the roller 17 is inset from the sides of the platform in. The hand holding the brush B rests upon the platform 1% with the brush contacting the corner. Pressure is exerted by the hand upwardly and inwardly. The platform is then moved in the direction of the arrows. Since the roller 17 cannot reach the corner, this brush method is used and is required for a few inches only to fill in the unpainted void adjacent the corner, the roller being removed during this operation.

To trim the ceiling, in the event that only that part is to be painted, the device is held on the ceiling with the paint roller 17 engaging the ceiling. It should be noted that the platform 10 is provided with vertical alignment rollers, as well as horizontal alignment rollers to give stability and precision movement of the platform. The painting roller 17 may also be removed for cleaning and replacement without difficulty.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new 1s:

1. A paint trim device, comprising, a plate serving as a platform and including a notch opening at its upper edge, rollers carried by said platform on said upper edge and having their peripheral portions disposed to contact a room ceiling, wall contacting rollers carried by and determining the plane of said platform and having their peripheral portions disposed at right angles to the room ceiling contacting rollers to stabilize the platform under hand pressure as the platform is moved in the angle formed by the wall and ceiling, a paint roller of substantially inverted frusto-conical shape having its peripheral portion exposed through said notch, a supporting shaft for said roller detachably secured to said platform, said shaft supporting the axis of said painting roller at an inclined angle to the platform in a manner whereby the periphery of the roller will contact the wall close to its right angular junction with the ceiling, and the top of the painting roller is inclined away from said ceiling.

2. A paint trim device according to claim 1, wherein the periphery of said roller is provided with a paint receiving and applying tread.

3. A paint trim device according to claim 1, wherein, one end of said shaft is inclined relative to the major portion of said shaft, and said painting roller is journalled on said inclined end.

4. A paint trim device according to claim 1, wherein said platform is provided on the side opposite the wall contacting rollers with laterally spaced upper lugs and laterally spaced lower lugs in vertical alignment to detachably receive the shaft upon said platform.

5. A paint trim device according to claim 1, wherein said platform is provided with spaced upper lugs and laterally spaced lower lugs disposed in vertical alignment, said lower lugs having transverse notches, a laterally extending pin at the lower end of the shaft adapted to enter said transverse notches when the major portion of the shaft is held between said lugs to lock the shaft against longitudinal displacement relative to the platform and maintain the periphery of the roller in proper relation to the upper edge of the platform.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pratt June 3, 1958 i, inch 

